Saturday's 21st annual Tennis Ball fundraiser will be the first after founder Walter Segaloff's death

Saturday will be bittersweet for employees, long-time sponsors, students and others with connections to An Achievable Dream.

It's the school's 21st annual Tennis Ball fundraiser — but the first without founder Walter Segaloff, who died in August.

Event organizers said they expect it to be an emotional day, but Segaloff would want them to continue his legacy.

"It's going to be tough," said Bill Downey, president and CEO of Riverside Health System and the event's honorary chairman. "Knowing Walter, he would want us to carry on."

Segaloff, a Newport News businessman, established An Achievable Dream in 1992 as a summer and after-school tennis and tutoring program for 95 rising fourth-graders. His vision was to end the cycle of poverty through education.

One year later, it became a full-time, extended-day school for third- to fifth-graders. It added grades six through eight in 1995, kindergarten through second grade in 2000, and high school in 2007.

Today, about 1,250 economically disadvantaged students in grades K-12 receive an education with a social curriculum at the year-round, extended-day, public/private schools.

The schools are operated as part of Newport News Public Schools, but An Achievable Dream's nonprofit status allows it to raise money to add longer days and more programs for students. The Tennis Ball, its largest fundraiser, helps pay the additional costs of operating the schools, equal to about $2,200 per-student each year. Members of the graduating class will also meet their sponsor at the event. The sponsor provides a $2,000 merit scholarship to every student each year they're in college.

Community support has grown for the program over the years. While Segaloff is credited for leading that effort, employees said they are prepared as a team to carry on the work, and they expect the program will continue to thrive.

"The community has been overwhelmingly supportive of An Achievable Dream over the years and (they) want to see that continue," Chief Operating Officer Kathy Edwards said.

The ball was sold out as of Monday evening, Edwards said. They had received 940 reservations with just 900 available seats.

Edwards said she attributes that to an established base of supporters and new support on the Southside. The Virginia Beach School Board recently approved a plan to open an extension to the school in 2014. That location is in the process of setting up its own foundation, but Edwards said sponsors for that program are expected to attend the Newport News event.

Guests who attend the ball enjoy dinner and can bid on live and silent auction items. They also hear from people affected by the program.

Brian McGowan, 30, who was in An Achievable Dream's first class, is planning to speak at Saturday's fundraiser. It isn't the first time McGowan spoke at a Tennis Ball, so he said he feels prepared. It was Segaloff who helped him overcome his public speaking jitters, he said, when he helped him practice his speech seven or eight years ago.

McGowan, now a professor at Indiana State University, said although he's not nervous, he knows without Segaloff, it's going to be an emotional day.

"I'm going to miss him. That was one of the highlights of being there," he said.

McGowan said he plans to provide words of encouragement to the Class of 2014 during its dress rehearsal. He said it was positive role models such as Segaloff who contributed to his success.

"It's all about giving it back and paying it forward," he said. "It's going to be an emotional weekend, but we're all together for a good cause."